McKinney

Four years ago I was at the national convention of the Green Party. This time around, I was barely aware of it before it was over. Preoccupied I guess. But Cynthia McKinney just got nominated as the Green presidential candidate, and she gives a great acceptance speech. Via C-SPAN and YouTube.

Where I gave my unsolicited vote for one of you being a stay-at-home parent?

As a member of a one income household, I’ve learned to embrace our hand-to-mouth existence. So much so, that I evangelize the merits of this kind of life, where the raising of the child is paramount. I can go into all the pros and cons, of course…It’s like being an ex-smoker: we can’t help ourselves from spreading the good news.

But that doesn’t mean you want to have that kind of conversation. So I apologize for rubbing you the wrong way. Seriously–sorry. I am sure you have thought of all this stuff and don’t need some latter-day jerkoff heaping some extra guilt on your plate.

As for the Green business, I agree with much of the Green philosophy, per se. What I take issue with is whether the govt is the proper agent for these changes (and whether these goals are even achievable in reality).

Well, thank you, Garvey. Obviously you did not get my e-mail on this subject, but never mind. Believe me when I say we agonized a bit over this, but a cursory look at the numbers indicates the only path to staying home with the girl involves either a) selling the house or b) finding a new job — or both. Anyway, I appreciate your apology.

As for the Greens and anarchism, I’m inclined to think a hardcore anarchist wouldn’t have much use for electoral politics at all. But I’m not hardcore, I just have “leanings.” The Green Party does seem to attract anarchists. In fact I met a prominent anarchist philosopher through the Greens. Political parties must have a big tent for any prayer of success in the USA. The Green Party’s values have some resonance with the Green tendency in anarchism, so that might explain some of the draw.

There’s a lose global Green movement, and the Party will only be right insofar as it embodies the values and philosophies of that movement. The movement as a whole does not (or should not) focus solely on government, but of course that is exactly the focus of the Party. Political parties do take on a life of their own, so the danger of the Party hijacking the movement is ever-present. But as long as the Green Party is a place where grassroots democracy is practiced, I think it will be attractive to me, and all sort of other folks as well.